Wednesday, June 13, 2007

After forgiveness, celebration in Roxbury

Boston--June 9--The Islamic Society of Boston (ISB) decided to settlewith the David Project, with both parties agreeing to drop alllawsuits including the suit filed by James Policastro to attempt toget the Roxbury mosque torn down. No future litigation can be broughtagainst the mosque.

Interfaith director Jessica Masse said, "The ISB has made its point,which was never about monetary gain, and was always about standing up for the right of its community to worship freely. We will now focus on strengthening our ties with the broader community, and in particular, the interfaith community."

Masse thanked the interfaith community for having the courage to thestand with the ISB when no one else would.

ISB Director, Dr. Yousef Abou-Allaban stated, "We have achievedmultiple victories in court… The decisions of the Massachusetts judgeswho issued rulings in these cases affirming our rights should be readby all citizens. But now we want to move forward."

The ISB held a press conference on Wednesday, May 30 at the mosquesite in Roxbury and on June 9 held a "Faith and Unity March" and"Minaret Capping Festival" attended by over 2000 visitors, includingJames Policastro!

Policastro said it was a beautiful ceremony, reported the Boston Globe.

A copper cap, affixed with an American flag, was lifted by crane andattached by workmen to the top of the minaret in front of the crowd as a symbol for the Muslim community's addition to the American melting pot.

Imam Basyouny Nehala called the adhan from the minaret for the first time.

The 70,000-square-foot mosque, which has taken two decades tocomplete, plans to open this Ramadan.

"The settlement was achieved a couple weeks ago," Kaleem said, "but itdidn't hit home until I saw the 5,000-pound cap of the minaret comingdown slowly with thousands of people praying and crying. It wasbeautiful, emotional, and a time of great thankfulness."

Sufia Hassan, whose husband heads Masjid Alhamdulillah in Roxbury,said their mosque was not originally built as a house of worship.

"This is the first built from the ground up," Hassan saidenthusiastically. "What's nice is that it will bring Muslims from thiscountry and other countries together."

The New England community has achieved a great milestone in theirdream to build the largest Islamic Center in Greater Boston.